August 20 - Restoration of Independence Day in Estonia

On
this date in 1991, Soviet tanks were traveling across the Estonian
landscape.

Soviet paratroopers had floated down to a TV tower and was
preparing to cut off communications channels. The movement to break
away from the U.S.S.R. was surely going to be squashed!

The Estonians had been having hugedemonstrations, agitating for independence,for several years before the 1991 declaration.

The photo above is from 1988.

But
Estonian politicians stayed the course: They went ahead and declared
their nation's independence.

And
the people of Estonia backed their move: Volunteers surrounded the TV
tower and would not back down just because the Soviet troops had
weapons.

More
Estonians moved to protect the buildings that were most important to
their would-be-independent nation.

Luckily,
the Soviet Union was pretty busy with its own internal meltdown –
there was an attempted coup, and other republics were mumbling about
breaking away from the U.S.S.R., as well. The coup failed, Boris
Yeltsin and his more liberal government remained in power, and eventually the
U.S.S.R. broke apart.

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This site is designed to be a source of interesting articles for kids and a resource for teachers and parents (especially homeschool teacher/parents!). From world holidays to historical anniversaries, Every Day Is Special celebrates each and every day.